20 Common Idioms about Fruits in English

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Fruits are a common theme in idiomatic expressions across many cultures and languages. From apples and oranges to bananas and lemons, fruits have been used to describe a variety of situations and emotions. These idioms can be both humorous and insightful, and they offer a unique perspective on the ways in which we use language to communicate with one another.

20 Common Idioms about Fruits in English

1. The apple of your eye

• Meaning: The person who you are very fond of
• E.g. She has three children, but her youngest son is the apple of her eye.

2. Go bananas

• Meaning: To become very angry, crazy or annoyed
• E.g. She’ll go bananas if she sees the house in this (dirty) condition.

3. A bite at the cherry

• Meaning: An opportunity to achieve something:
• E.g. He definitely wants a bite of the cherry.

4. Not give a fig

• Meaning: Not to feel interested in something
• E.g. You can do what you want. I don’t give a fig.

5. Apples and oranges

• Meaning: To be different from each other
• E.g. My mom and my mother-in-law are just apples and oranges.

6. Lemon

• Meaning: A vehicle that does not work properly
• E.g. The car dealer sold me a lemon.

7. Peach

• Meaning: A person or thing that is beautiful
• E.g. You brought me coffee? Ah, you’re a peach.

8. Go pear-shaped

• Meaning: To fail; to be unsuccessful
• E.g. What are we going to do this weekend if our plans go pear-shaped?

9. A plum job

• Meaning: Very good job
• E.g. He got a plum job in an insurance company.

10. The apple never falls far from the tree

• Meaning: To say that “the apple never falls far from the tree” is to suggest that a person’s personality traits are close to those of the person’s parents.
• E.g. Her daughter soon showed her own musical talent, proving that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

11. Bad apple (especially US)

• Meaning: a person who is corrupt or wicked
• E.g. It is hoped the inquiry will pick out the bad apples in the police force.

12. Upset the apple cart

• Meaning: To “upset the apple cart” is to ruin plans.
• E.g. Look, he’s not trying to upset the apple cart—he just needs to meet laterin the day now, that’s all.

13. Second banana

• Meaning: A “second banana” is a subordinate, and the “top banana” is the leader.
• E.g. I generally don’t mind playing second banana when I’m with such a legendary comedian, but it would be nice to be the one getting all the laughs once in a while.

14. Top banana

• Meaning: The “top banana” is the leader.
• E.g. You’ll have to ask the top banana. He’s out right now.

15. Life is a bowl of cherries

• Meaning:  “Life is a bowl of cherries” means that life is easy.
• E.g. Life’s not exactly a bowl of cherries when you’re an international champ.

16. Cherry-pick

• Meaning: To “cherry-pick” is to select carefully.
• E.g.  I can’t believe he left the company and then cherry-picked the best employee in my department!

17. Peaches and cream

• Meaning: When everything is “peaches and cream,” life is going well.
• E.g.  I’ve heard that women in older times actually bathed with milk to maintain a peaches-and-creamcomplexion.

18. As American as apple pie

• Meaning:  “As American as apple pie” means that something is quint essentially representative of American culture or values.
• E.g. Baseball is as American as apple pie.

19. Speak with a plum in (one’s) mouth

• Meaning: To speak in a manner that is indicative of a high social class. Primarily heard in UK.
• E.g. He spoke with such a plum in his mouth that none of us working-class sods could stand to listen to him.

20. Sour grapes

• Meaning: One is said to have “sour grapes” when one be littles something one covets but cannot obtain.
• E.g. Criticizing it is just sour grapes, but you still really want it.

Idioms about Fruits | Image